Pitcher Oliver Perez struggles with command in return to rotation but keeps New York Mets in game

William Perlman/The Star-LedgerJ.J. Putz high fives Oliver Perez after his first start back from the disabled list. Perez walked seven batters but held the Dodgers to two runs on four hits in five innings pitched.

NEW YORK -- After his start Wednesday night against the Dodgers -- his return to the starting rotation after two months on the disabled list -- left-handed pitcher Oliver Perez admitted to catcher Brian Schneider that he had been nervous.

"It was his first game back," Schneider said. "If he didn't, he'd be lying to us."

Those nerves -- or, perhaps, rust -- were apparent as soon as Perez took the mound in the first inning and promptly threw four balls to walk Dodgers leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal. Perez continued to struggle with his command for the rest of the five innings he pitched, walking seven batters and throwing a season-high 108 pitches.

But by the end of his start, Perez had only given up two runs on four hits, what teammate David Wright called a "promising effort" -- especially considering Perez's 9.97 ERA before being placed on the disabled list in May with patellar tendinitis in his right knee.

"I did everything I can," Perez said. "Sometimes you're going to have that kind of game, and sometimes you're going to have almost-perfect games. ... Sometimes you don't have command, that's why it's very important to make sure you make the important outs."

That's what Perez wasn't able to do through the first five starts he made this spring, including outings vs. Washington (seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings) and Cincinnati (eight earned runs in 4 1/3 innings). In his May 2 start at Philadelphia, he was pulled after allowing four runs in 2 1/3 innings and ultimately landed in the bullpen and then the DL.

Last night, though, the Mets led 4-2 after Perez finished the top of the fifth. The win was Perez's second of the season. He did so using just his fastball and slider, because after the one changeup he threw bounced, Schneider said he wouldn't throw it again for the rest of the night.

Perez certainly tested his team's patience, particularly when he walked three straight batters to load the bases in the third -- a jam the Mets escaped from when left-handed batter Andre Ethier lined out to Wright for the final out. But manager Jerry Manuel stayed with Perez.

"Well, he kept us busy; he kept our bullpen busy," Manuel said. "There were times I would say he was a hitter or two away. But he battled his way out of it and kept giving us an opportunity."